The defending Stanley Cup champs won’t have the opportunity to defend their crown. Despite racking up 95 points, the Los Angeles Kings were outside of the playoff picture when the league wrapped up its regular season schedule. Aside from the usual disappointment tied to missing the playoffs, there was reportedly plenty of tension inside the Kings’ dressing room which may lead to questions surrounding the future of Darryl Sutter in LA.
Via the New York Post:
Slap Shots has been told by two sources that the Kings locked the door to their locker room following a defeat on the road within the last two weeks so that Sutter could not get in and deliver what the players apparently expected to be another in a series of lectures/tirades.
As the tale was told, after Sutter finally tracked down an arena operative to unlock the door, he was greeted by three heavy waste receptacles lined up as barricade to what had become an empty room.
As always, take the source for what it’s worth.
For what it’s worth, here’s a contradicting angle:
Report out from @NYP_Brooksie on a rift between @LAKings players and coach Darryl Sutter. I am told there is nothing there.
— Daren Millard (@darenmillard) April 11, 2015
Which side do we believe? Is the truth in the middle?
Dressing room tension isn’t unheard of in the NHL, but rarely do details such as the one above (players locking their coach out and barricading the door) leak out. Context is critical in this situation, but it’s doubtful this was all some joke or prank considering the team was sliding out of contention.
Sutter and the Kings’ nucleus has remained mostly intact during the team’s four-year stretch which featured two Cups. Despite all of the success, it sounds like all of the personalities might be clashing. Sutter’s message, which proved effective enough to result in two Cups, may be wearing thin on players who have heard the same talk and spiel time and time again.
It’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of the Kings’ disappointing finish.
